Cités

Cités is a term in the French language with multiple related meanings. In general, "cité" can denote a city or a defined urban area, and historically it can refer to the core or fortified part of a town. In everyday usage, people may refer to "la cité" to mean "the city" or to a specific district within a city, especially one that is older or more centralized. The plural "cités" can thus mean either "cities" or "neighborhoods," depending on context.

The word derives from Latin civitas through Old French cite; in medieval times, "la cité" denoted the walled, fortified core of a settlement, distinct from the surrounding countryside and from the outskirts of the town.

In modern France and other Francophone contexts, "cité" also has a specialized sense in urban planning and public housing. A housing "cité" is a residential quarter, often a public-housing estate built in the postwar period to address urban housing needs, commonly located in the outskirts of a city. These cités are typically high-density ensembles that can include towers and low-rise blocks, with shared facilities and public services; they have been the focus of urban policy, renewal programs, and social initiatives.

Notable examples exist across France and in other Francophone regions. Some cités have become emblematic of urban development in the late 20th century, and discussions about them relate to topics such as urban renewal, social integration, and the transformation of public housing.